Direct Debit Dishonour - Queries

SaberX on 11/01/2018 - 04:21

Ok, so pretty cheesed off at the moment. I've been with Kleenheat gas since we built our house for more than a year. No issues direct debiting each month's bill on time, without fail with my amex. Got a new anz ff black card. So i switched over from amex given they pay you 0.5 x spend in points as it's an utility.

Now i double, triple and quadruple checked my account numbers when inputting online into the change of direct debit details. So no issue with details there. The only thing i can think of is I put my name as Joe Blogs, as opposed to Joe L Blogs - per my credit card physically.

Now, I've just been notified by email of my bill being outstanding (due 4 Jan, email and notification 10 Jan short while ago). I can't understand why?

I've never had issues with paying stuff online with credit card or auto debit when just speciying my name: Joe Blogs. DOes the middle initials cause your bank to dishonour payments? I mean i've used other cards before where i've always inputted first and last names without middle initials - i've never been knocked back for a transaction? Case in point - my skymesh nbn was changed and went through sucessfully with just first and last name.

I quickly paid my gas bill - which isn't the issue. What has me peeved is my $70 bill they chucked a $8.34 overdue fee - "Covers the cost of printing and posting overdue notices.". What a load of crock. Came vai email. Probably cost less than $0.05 to auto generate.

The bill and even their schedule of fees then mentions a possible $10 dishonour debit fee coming my way. Absolutely outrageous. $18 on a $70 bill? So the bank charges a dishonour fee to them which they pass on for $10? I can't see how anyone would justify the time it takes to dishonour/knock back something in proportion to the fee.

SO tomorrow i'llt ry ringing ANZ to find out why this was dishonoured before ringing kleenheat to plead my case to waive the overdue fee and the soon to come dishonour fee. But it begs the question: do you input all your middle initials when purchasing online - both directly on credit card and indirectly through direct debit regular payments??

Does anyone know for sure if a lack of middle initials can cause a card to be kocked back by the bank when honouring regular direct debits? Surely not? Or is it an ANZ thing - given I've had prior cards before with no issues.

Still daylight robbery. Wondering if I can lodge some sort of complaint with some consumer body if they don't waive the fees? Or am I wasting my time? $18 for a $70 bill is excessive and i will now loose my 12.5% pay on time discount. Tempted to switch to another gas provider if they don't come to the party…

Financial

Comments

  • Settero on 11/01/2018 - 07:23

    giving you an example that name is not always something thats needed for DD.

    i am with ISP x for many years , at one point i was os and my card expired so someone else was going to put their details for DD.
    it would not accept their details unless they used my name as card holder , i was not associated in any way with that persons card/bank.

  • djsweet on 11/01/2018 - 09:09
    +1

    Pretty sure middle initial won't matter. It never has in the thousands of transactions I've made with multiple banks including ANZ and AMEX.
    I've had a direct debit from my bank dishonored through my own fault before though, and because I have a great billing history I got the late fees and dishonor fees waved.

    • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 00:34

      Yeah, i recall not putting my middle initials either. I spoke with Anz and they mentioned middle initials have no bearing either. So only first and last name has to be correct…. which is good to kow for future examples!

  • holdenmg on 11/01/2018 - 09:09

    did u have to activate the new anz ff black card before use?

    • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 00:31

      you have to activate any credit card….. or card really.

  • DarkOz on 11/01/2018 - 09:20
    +3

    The problem might not be from Kleenheat's end, it could be from your bank's end. Stop guessing that it's your name that had caused the problem. You need to call Kleenheat to confirm why and take it from there. If Kleenheat can't explain it then call your bank.

    • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 00:32

      Bank has nothing wrong. Confirmed. Kleenheat just haven't done a direct debit for whatever reason - from what I can dig up. So clearly something wrong with direct debit system as it's not automatically doing what it should…

      • DarkOz on 12/01/2018 - 09:13

        That's good to hear. Now you can request present the facts to Kleenheat and request the dishonour fee to be waived. I hope they don't play hardball with you over this.

  • reno on 11/01/2018 - 10:28

    i had voda charge me $15 on a $40 bill… and just so happened citi decided to "hold" the card because they suspected fraudulent activity and there wasn't, but meant voda couldn't charge… just bad luck with timing and neither side would budge… =(

    but as per above, name or initial wouldn't matter. a lot of places don't even ask for name on card

    • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 00:33

      that sucks. in this case i have more than enough credit available and no fraudulent block. ANZ have insisted nothing on their end, no attempt to direct debit so I've taken it up with Kleenheat for now…. clearly they aren't direct debiting, yet hitting me with the fees for the privilege of it.

  • John Kimble on 11/01/2018 - 10:48
    +1

    No, you could put your name as Santa Claus, it is not verified/checked in the bank authorisation process.

    Small possibility that kleenheat could have their own fraud system that checks account name and cardholder name matches and if it doesn't, stops it before it goes for authorisation though…but that would impact a lot of genuine customers.

  • Rifraf on 11/01/2018 - 16:07

    Tomorrow?
    You'll try ringing tomorrow?

    • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 00:32

      When else would I? I posted that as per the timestamp at midnight. everything closes.

  • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 00:36
    +1

    Thanks all… i spoke to ANZ who insisted middle initials are optional and only first and last names are required - fyi for those wondering too. THe issue appears to be Kleenheat who despite my changes of the direct debit haven't processed anything it appears - or at least ANZ insist nothing was rejecte don their end. I really do wish these things generated automatic messages to let you know what/who went wrong. I am arguing my case with Kleenheat to waive the fees.

    Still regardless of if it was your fault I Think it is daylight robbery they can say it cost them $8.34 to "print out" your notification of an overdue bill. especially if it's coming by email. Even a $10 dishonour direct debit fee - surely, how much would they have 'incurred' from a failed direct debit? Or do the banks charge them a fee which they pass on? Notwithstanding that, I don't see how any of these are justified. hopefully the ACCC catches up with this practice soon enough.

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